Speech
Acts
> are the speaker’s utterances which
convey meaning and make listeners
do specific things (Austin, 1962)
3 Types of Speech Act
According to J. L. Austin (1962), a philosopher of language and
the developer of the Speech Act Theory, there are 3 types of acts in
every utterance.
Locutionary speech act - occurs when the
speaker performs an utterance (locution), which
has a meaning in the traditional sense.
Illocutionary speech act - is the performance
of the act of saying something with a specific
intention.
Perlocutionary speech act - it happens when
what the speaker says has an effect on the listener.
Performatives
A performative utterance said by the
right person under the right
circumstances results in a change in the
world. Note that certain conditions have
to be met when making a performative
utterance.
statements which enable the speaker to
perform something just by stating it.
verbs that execute the speech act that
they intend to effect are called
performatives.
Searle’s Classifications of Speech Act
Assertive – a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker
expresses belief about the truth of a proposition. Some
examples of an assertive act are suggesting, putting
forward, swearing, boasting, and concluding.
Example: No one makes better pancakes than I do.
Directive – a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker
tries to make the addressee perform an action. Some
examples of a directive act are asking,ordering, requesting,
inviting, advising, and begging.
Example: Please close the door.
Commissive – a type of illocutionary act which commits the
speaker to doing something in the future. Examples of a
commissive act are promising, planning, vowing, and
betting.
Example: From now on, I will participate in our group
activity
Declaration – a type of illocutionary act which brings a
change in the external situation. Simply put,
declarations bring into existence or cause the state of
affairs which they refer to. Some examples of
declarations are blessing, firing, baptizing, bidding,
passing a sentence, and excommunicating.
Example: You are fired! By saying that someone is
fired, an employer causes or brings about
the person’s unemployment, thus changing
his external situation.
Expressive – a type of illocutionary act in which the
speaker expresses his/her feelings or emotional
reactions. Some examples of an expressive act are
thanking, apologizing, welcoming, and deploring.
Example: I am so sorry for not helping out in our
group projects and letting you do all the
work.
Written question
1. Some example of _____ act are asking, ordering, requesting, inviting,
advising and begging
Ex. Please close the door
2. A type of illocutionary act in which the speaker commits to do
something in the future
3. simply put declaration bring into existence or cause the state of affairs
which they refer to
4. Some example of an ______ act are suggesting, putting, forward,
swearing, boasting and concluding
Ex. No one makes better pancake than I do
3 Matching types
1._________declaration A. Some example of an
________Act are thinking,
apologizing, welcoming and
deploring
Ex. I an sorry for not helping
2. _____ assertive, directive, our project
commissive, expressive and
declaration
B. 5 district categories of illocutionary act
3. _______ expressive
C. Ex. Blessing, firing, baptizing,
bidding, passing a sentence an
excommunication
Multiple choice
1. a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker expresses belief about the truth
of a proposition
a. Commissive
b. Directive
c. Assertive
d. Expressive
2. As a response to Austin’s speech act theory ________(1976), a prof. from the
University of California, Berkeley, classified illocutionary acts into five district
categories
a. John Will
b. Lebron James
c. John Searle
d. Jeff Bartiana
3. A type of illocutionary act in which the speaker his/her feelings or emotion
reactions
a. Assertive b. Directive c. expressive d. commissive
True or False
1. Commissive - Example of ________ act are promising, planning, vowing
and betting. ex. From now on I will participate in our group activity
2. Declaration – a type of illocutionary in which brings a change in the
external situation.
3. Assertive – a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker tries to make
the addressee perform an action.
Additional question
Give the types of Speech Act 2pts
